July 28, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
5:00 PM
City Hall, Room 408
President Kay Gulbengay Executive Director Emily Murase, PhD Vice President Julie Soo Administrative Assistant Cynthia Green Commissioner Dorka Keehn Policy Director Ann Lehman Commissioner Katherine Munter Senior Gender Policy Analyst Anu Menon Commissioner Rebecca Prowda Fiscal Policy Analyst Laura Marshall
Senior Grants Administrator Carol Sacco
Commission Secretary Cynthia Vasquez
Undergraduate Intern Natalie Goodis
Undergraduate Intern Kendra Poppy
Intern Olina Paul
Excused: Commissioner Carolene Marks and Commissioner Andrea Shorter
I. CALL TO ORDER/ AGENDA CHANGES
President Gulbengay called the meeting to order at 5:10 pm and welcomed new Commissioner Rebecca Prowda.
Action: Approved agenda.
m/s/c (Keehn/Munter/Unanimous)
No public comment.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
President Shorter asked Commissioners to review the minutes from June 23, 2010.
Action: Approved minutes from June 23, 2010.
m/s/c (Soo/Keehn/Unanimous)
Commissioner Keehn asked whether Commissioner Soo received information about intellectual property matters related to the Memorandum of Understanding with Calvert from the City Attorney's Office. Dr. Murase stated that a meeting had been scheduled earlier this week, but the City Attorney was not available to attend. The meeting will be rescheduled.
No public comment.
III. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
A. Executive Directors Report
Dr. Murase directed Commissioners to her written report. She welcomed Commissioner Prowda to her first Commission meeting. Dr. Murase announced that the Gender Equality Principles Initiative website was now available at www.genderprinciples.org. The Bridges to Freedom language fluency training program has concluded and statistics were included in the written report. Commissioners were advised that the Women's Policy Summit is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15, 12 - 5 pm at the Milton Marks Auditorium of the
The Department will be presenting the Courage to Change report released by the Justice and Courage Oversight Panel to the Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee on August 2, 2010.
B. UN Global Compact
Policy Director Ann Lehman and Cecily Joseph of Symantec reported on the UN Global Compact Summit held in New York in June. The presentation slides were included in the meeting packet. Ms. Joseph explained that Symantec is the Business Representative for US companies to the UN Global Compact. She works with US companies to convey information about the Global Compact Principles and works with US companies on implementing the principles.
Ms. Lehman reviewed the Global Compact Principles:
Principle 1: Respect human rights
Principle 2: Do not be complicit in human rights abuses
Principle 3: Uphold freedom of association & right to collective bargaining
Principle 4: Eliminate forced & compulsory labor
Principle 5: Abolish child labor
Principle 6: Eliminate employment discrimination
Principle 7: Support precautionary approach to environmental challenges
Principle 8: Promote greater environmental responsibility
Principle 9: Encourage environmentally friendly technologies.
Principle 10: Work against corruption
Ms. Lehman stated that the Commission resolution passed in support of the Women’s Empowerment Principles was delivered to the UN Global Compact Summit leadership team. Ms. Joseph explained that Symantec is taking the goals and aspirations of the principles and making them real and implementable to US companies.
Key themes of the summit were summarized as follows:
? We are at a tipping point to create a sustainable economy.
? CEOs want investors to value sustainability in their long-term investments.
? In 4 years, companies valued at over US$20 trillion have signed on to the Principle for Responsible Investments.
? The UN Global Compact Principles just makes good business sense.
? Companies were seeking shared responsibilities through public/private partnerships.
? Businesses were positioned both as players and part of solution
In what she termed a "gender rebellion," Ms. Lehman reported that an ad-hoc committee of women leaders hijacked the microphone during the last session of the last day of the Summit to present the following policy recommendations to the plenary:
1) Create a UN Global Compact Gender Committee.
2) Set a goal of 50% women on the Global Compact Board of Directors by 2015 (6/22 are currently women).
3) Adopt the Women's Empowerment Principles in recognition that women compose 40% of the global labor force.
She concluded that the recommendations were well-received.
Dr. Murase explained that Ms. Joseph serves as the U.S. Representative to the Global Compact Steering Committee and has been instrumental in working with the Department to develop the Gender Equality Principles Initiative. She has also connected the Department more closely to the UN Global Compact. She thanked Ms. Joseph for her partnership.
Commissioner Soo directed her comments to Ms. Joseph. She informed her that former anchor Suzanne Shaw is now the news director of the local NBC affiliate in the Bay Area, and she has highlighted the lack of women corporate executives in the
President Gulbengay thanked Ms. Joseph and Ms. Lehman for the presentation.
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Agenda and are considered to be routine by the Commission on the Status of Women. They will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Commission. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Commission so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered as a separate item. Members of the public may speak on each item listed on the Consent Agenda.
A. Resolution Recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
B. Resolution Recognizing the Honorable Mary Morgan
Action: To approve the Consent Agenda.
m/s/c (Munter/Soo/Unanimous).
Public Comment
President Gulbengay welcomed Judge Mary Morgan and other members of the judiciary who were in
attendance: Honorable Lori Giorgi, Honorable Kathleen Kelly, Honorable Patrick Mahoney, Honorable Lillian Sing, Honorable John Stewart, Honorable Jeffrey Tauber, Honorable Richard Ulmer, Honorable Mary Wiss, Honorable Garrett Wong, Commissioner Rebecca Wightman, Ann Donlan and Michael Yuen were in attendance. Judge Mary Morgan accepted the recognition on behalf of her court that has worked for many, many years to ensure fairness and justice for domestic violence victims. Judge Morgan first came to the court in 1981. She served on the Domestic Violence Committee with Del Martin and Esta Soler who are giants in the San Francisco women's movement. She also recognized Judge Richard Ulmer who did pro-bono work on behalf of victims of domestic violence as an attorney, before his appointment to the bench.
Commissioner Keehn thanked Judge Mary Morgan for her dedicated efforts and for her close work with the Justice and Courage Oversight Panel.
Judge Morgan's successor Judge Garrett Wong stated that he looks forward to working with the Department.
Beverly Upton, of the Domestic Violence Consortium, thanked Judge Morgan for her leadership and compassion on both sides. Commissioner Soo expressed how glad she was to see so many esteemed judges in support of Judge Morgan’s work.
President Gulbengay also recognized Sharon Johnson, the former Executive Director of the Commission on the
Status of Women, who was in the audience.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A.
Fiscal and Policy Analyst Laura Marshall introduced Nancy Goldberg, Co-Chair of the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking (SFCAHT). Ms. Goldberg explained that the Collaborative started with just 4 organizations (the Jewish Coalition on Anti-Human Trafficking, Stand Against Global Exploitation, the Human Rights Commission, and the Commission on the Status of Women), but is now over 20, reflecting a diversity of government and community-based agencies. On January 11, 2010, Mayor Gavin Newsom officially launched the Collaborative.
Ms. Goldberg recognized the tremendous contributions of the late Norma Satten who was one of the original members of the Jewish Coalition on Anti-Human Trafficking which helped create the Collaborative. Ms. Goldberg reviewed current activities of Collaborative, including plans to roll out a monthly events calendar and a speaker’s bureau. She reiterated the importance of public awareness among students, community groups, church groups and others. SFCAHT is also preparing pamphlets and informative materials to leave behind at a variety of community events.
Ms. Marshall reported that SFCAHT has planned a series of events for January 11 - February 12, 2011 that includes a student art project/logo contest and a community art challenge. The challenge would ask artists to use specified objects, for example a passport, airline tickets, and chains, to create work to raise awareness about human trafficking. A forum will be held to engage the community in more detailed and in-depth discussions and provide training to service providers working with survivors of trafficking,
Commissioner Soo requested Ms. Goldberg's assistance in identifying a speaker for the October board meeting of the St. Francis Memorial Hospital where she also serves.
Ms. Goldberg elaborated that artwork stemming from the community arts challenge could be used for awareness raising efforts year-round (e.g., billboards, bus shelter signs)
Ms. Marshall explained the following recommendations which can be implemented at low or no cost, or with federal, state, or private funding.
1. Expand Staff Training
2. Broaden Dissemination of Trafficking-Related Data
3. Engage the Public as Sources of Information
4. Create Deterrence
5. Expand Victim Services
6. Modify Massage Parlor Inspections to Increase Effectiveness
7. Create Forum for City-Wide Collaboration
President Gulbengay thanked the speakers for the valuable information on such a sensitive subject.
B. Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach
Dean Ito-Taylor, Executive Director of APILO, thanked the Commission and the Department for close to 30 years of support for domestic violence survivors and, more recently, for supporting anti-human trafficking efforts. Mr. Ito-Taylor introduced Cindy Liou, Staff Attorney and member of the Anti-Asian Trafficking Collaborative and SFCAHT. Ms. Liou explained that the Collaborative is based on a partnership between APILO, the Asian Women’s Shelter, Cameron House, and Narika. They serve Asian, Russian, African, and Latina trafficking survivors.
Ms. Liou described a profile of a trafficked victim. A young woman was brought to the United States from South America by her godmother and was put to work at the godmother’s home as a housekeeper. She was not given the basic necessities and was physically and mentally abused. She was forced to clean the entire house without any compensation other than room and board for 8 years. This trafficking victim was discovered at a hospital when she attempted suicide after being severely beaten. The godmother is just being sentenced for this crime, dating back to 2005, this year.
Since 2003, APILO has served over 350 trafficked victims between the ages of 9- 79 years old. Victims are usually trafficked by a family member, a community member, drug dealers, or someone they trust. There is a growing need for resources for male trafficked victims. A critical need is community outreach to especially non-English speaking communities on how to identify victims of human trafficking. Successful community outreach requires knowing your community, providing language access and cultural competence surrounding human trafficking. APILO has spent 600-700 hours a year providing training and outreach on human trafficking. Ms. Liou explained how important it is for community members to be able to identify trafficked victims as many of there referrals they receive come from neighbors, law enforcement personnel, church groups, co-workers, teachers, and their peers.
Commissioner Soo thanked Mr. Ito-Taylor for his leadership and Ms. Liou for her participation in the Bridges to Freedom trainings.
VII. PUBLIC COMMENT
Nancy Goldberg suggested holding a future meeting as training for Commissioners and community members on identifying victims of human trafficking.
Cindy Liou reported that SB 1266, now being considered in the state legislature, provides alternative custody for non-violent offenders of which 70% are women. This would mean that mothers and pregnant women sentenced to state prison may be allowed to, instead, participate in residential treatment programs or go to transitional care facilities.
Eileen Purcell, Business Representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1245, explained that she represents 3,000 clerical workers of PG&E. The clerical workers are going into labor negotiations and PG&E is proposing a 2 tier wage system: the 1st tier would be current employees that will be grandfathered in at their current wage and the 2nd tier would be new employees hired at an entry level position which will make 30% less than their co-workers. This is a wage and equity issue as many of the clerical workers are people of color or women. Ms. Purcell invited Commissioners to sign a letter asking PG&E to reconsider the 2 tier system.
President Gulbengay thanked Ms. Purcell for bringing this to the attention of the Commission.
Sharon Johnson, former Executive Director of the Commission on the Status of Women, greeted the Commission and stated that she began working on pay equity issues back in 1977. In 1982-1983, Proposition E was passed to implement pay equity for the City of San Francisco. Ms. Johnson hopes that the Commission/Department can support this effort as it will harm the most vulnerable workers.
Beverly Upton, Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Consortium, announced that the Consortium will be honoring Commissioner Dorka Keehn on October 5 for her activism and leadership on the Justice and Courage Oversight Panel.
Commissioner Soo requested the following congratulatory letters:
1. A letter Lucy Koh who has been confirmed by the senate as the 1st Asian American Women to sit on the U.S District Court Judge for the Northern District of California
2. A congratulations letter to Justice Tani-Sakauye who has been appointed as
3. Thank Chief Justice Ronald George for his leadership in requiring domestic violence training for all Judges
Commissioner Prowda thanked everyone for their warm and generous welcome and stated she looks forward to working to better the lives of women and girls in San Francisco.
VIII. Adjourn
Action: Motion to adjourn.
m/s/c (Munter/Soo/Unanimous)
The meeting adjourned at 6:46m.
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